Posted by toomanyflowers | Under Uncategorized
Monday Mar 8, 2010
This is such an inspiring story, it just reminded me of the scripture in Isaiah
Isaiah 11:6 (New King James Version)
6 “ The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
Some people just seem to live in this state already, at peace with even the most base creatures, we seem to think that this is saved till the time of heaven……all in the future, a hope!
I also remember reading about St Francis of Assisi and his ability to tame wild beasts, also Sadhu Sundar Sing had a story of taming a wild tiger ravaging Indian stocks………….also the Apocrypha has some interesting stories pertaining to Jesus and animals…….
Folk stories?
Tradition?
Religious embellishments?
When I read stories like the below I have to think twice
South African Park Ranger
This Ranger is assigned to prevent poaching around the wildlife refuge area of Lanseria , South Africa .The way these animals interact with him is absolutely stunning!
The lions seem to know he’s there to protect them.
His charm works with hyenas and lions too. Hyenas are usually vicious.
Check out the pics taken in the river – amazing because lions hate water.
Imagine kissing a hyena, swimming with a lioness!
A hyena can crunch bones with it’s powerful jaws, and he is giving her a bellyrub???
Most African residents and South African Game Wardens (I have met 2) I know would baulk and scoff at the idea ….but truly this ability to tame a wild animal is a gift from God left as a reminder of things to come, indeed a GLIMPSE OF THE HEAVENLY THINGS………………..
Posted by toomanyflowers | Under Uncategorized
Friday Jun 19, 2009
I am so overwhelmed this morning so full of gratefulness to God that He cares, that He saved me that He even bothered with a woman like me!
Oh the beauty and the joy of my salvation just makes me want to dance and shout
That is why I love beautiful pictures, sunsets and flowers, I feel like Queen Esther bathing in myrrh and sweet spices preparing for the King…..I relish in beauty and exalt in its majestic worship and reflection of the beauty of God. It reminds me of of who I am in His eyes
WHOLE PURE SWEET FRESH COLOURFUL MAGNIFICENT GLORIOUS ALIVE
I say it because now I know it!
I feel His pleasure, and rejoice because I do not fear but LIVE in Him
This scripture is churning in me this morning
Isaiah 61:3 (King James Version)
3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
I was speaking to an unsaved friend last night and shared with her my testimony, it stirred me up.
Oh when I remember the torment and the fear and the insecurity of my former life I want to weep with gratefulness to God.
He has given me more than I have ever given him! I am consumed and humble and grateful all over again for His mercy towards a wretch like me!
Posted by toomanyflowers | Under Uncategorized
Tuesday Mar 24, 2009
PARENTING BY THE SPIRIT
Years ago in Bible College a lecturer challenged us to examine how we taught our children in Sunday Schools and Children Churches, she implied that even though we as adults preached and believed that we are saved by His grace and we are transformed into His likeness BY HIS POWER we did not extend the same grace to our children…..
I was challenged indeed, as a new Christian (and a very carnal worldly one at that stage) I believed that the only possible person who could change my wicked and sinful ways was the Holy Spirit, did I actually extend the same grace to the children I taught or worse my OWN children????? These were very challenging words. They actually shook me to the core, for a long time I had sort of thought that kids were a blank canvas waiting to write upon, but was this a godly way of looking at our kids???
MATTHEW 18:2-6
2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Jesus I realised (to my shock) actually thought a little child was OK AS THEY WERE…..I mean how could He have said that we have to BECOME like them, and all I wanted to do was CHANGE them…there was something seriously wrong with my logic here!!( I say mine because I had quickly discovered you do not argue with the Word. You will loose! ) So I had to re-examine stuff, my thinking was all wrong which meant ( shame and horror) my parenting was all wrong too.
If I really believed Jesus words were right my BASIC belief had to change, in general Kid’s Spirits were right and I was not, that is a mind shift for a teacher!! In the hallowed halls we are taught many things contrary to the WOG and the Law tended to be taught by the experts trained in it!! So I began to work from the premise that I was wrong and they are right…….OHHHHHHHH that is hard, how often do we want to change each other (actually I think this could relate to hubbys and relatives and bosses and coworkers too) BUT who actually changes a Man or a Woman???? Only the Creator, God Himself the Holy Spirit can change a man into a new creature.
WHY DO WE THINK CHILDREN ARE ANYONE DIFFERENT????
I need to examine myself, if i have placed upon my children unrealistic lawful expectations especially when it comes to their walk with God, making them conform to the RELIGIOUS outworking of Christianitythis may be detrimental to their spiritual growth and may even be dangerous…….
However in saying the above, does this then mean we do not discipline or chastise our children?
Romans 6:15
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!
Just like God deals with our flesh man , we must realise that we have to deal with the flesh man in our kids, like us there is NO GOOD THING in our children’s flesh. Read through Romans 6,7 and 8 and apply it to your children as much as it applies to you. There is a question of training also, it is clear that the Spirit Man can be developed and grown (Spiritual milk to meat) so our job is to take the Spirit Man in our children and grow that.
WE WILL NEVER CHANGE THE FLESH MAN IN OUR CHILDREN, THAT IS ONLY GOD’S JOB, (even then He crucifies it with Christ, He never tries to adjust it or makes it look good He obliterates it) But we can grow their Spirit man. God adjusts our Spirit Man as Christians, He disciplines and convicts us, we need to be the same with our Children. That I believe is Parenting in the Spirit, we are all under grace children included. I often tell my children to go and ask God what He is saying to them, I am amazed that they come up with the same answer as I do!! God does talk to them IF we give Him the freedom to.
Dear friends and parents do not think I have all the answers, but just as much as I hate being under Law so will our children especially the saved ones (how much more harder for the UNSAVED children in our families….), we need the Spirit as we Parent so we do not place a lawful / Pharisaical Christianity upon them, yes the law is the schoolmaster to grace, but how much better would it be if we do not have to deal with the flesh BUT the Spirit Man in our children.
Years ago in Bible College a lecturer challenged us to examine how we taught our children in Sunday Schools and Children Churches, she implied that even though we as adults preached and believed that we are saved by His grace and we are transformed into His likeness BY HIS POWER we did not extend the same grace to our children…..
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